International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[marchick]

Thanks for your reply. My first hatch I set 15 eggs and 6 hatched, all on day 21. Not the best hatch rate but they were shipped eggs and my first time incubating eggs, so I was still pleased. So do you think these eggs are a total loss? Should I continue to incubate or toss them and start over? I will take your advice next time and run the incubator for a couple of days before adding the eggs. I only have 1 BCM hen and I wanted to get at least 4 eggs from her into the incubator. She only lays every 2 to 3 days, so I was rushing to get her eggs in quickly as the oldest egg was 8 days old and I know fertility drops dramatically after a week. She had also just went ten days without laying before laying these 4 eggs, so I felt lucky to get them when I was wanting them to incubate.

I consider that a pretty good hatch for shipped eggs. Even though the thermometer you put in the Incubator read low your Incubator may not have been. Since the eggs hatched on time. What kind of Incubator and thermometer are you using?

 

[marchick]

Thanks for your reply. My first hatch I set 15 eggs and 6 hatched, all on day 21. Not the best hatch rate but they were shipped eggs and my first time incubating eggs, so I was still pleased. So do you think these eggs are a total loss? Should I continue to incubate or toss them and start over? I will take your advice next time and run the incubator for a couple of days before adding the eggs. I only have 1 BCM hen and I wanted to get at least 4 eggs from her into the incubator. She only lays every 2 to 3 days, so I was rushing to get her eggs in quickly as the oldest egg was 8 days old and I know fertility drops dramatically after a week. She had also just went ten days without laying before laying these 4 eggs, so I felt lucky to get them when I was wanting them to incubate.

It is difficult to say on the eggs how much difference between the readings of the Incubator and the thermometer you used? Since they hatched on time that makes me wonder if you now your Incubator could be too high.

 

[Song girl 11]

I consider that a pretty good hatch for shipped eggs. Even though the thermometer you put in the Incubator read low your Incubator may not have been. Since the eggs hatched on time. What kind of Incubator and thermometer are you using?

The incubator is a no name brand cheap one from china. The thermomet

I consider that a pretty good hatch for shipped eggs. Even though the thermometer you put in the Incubator read low your Incubator may not have been. Since the eggs hatched on time. What kind of Incubator and thermometer are you using?

im using a farm innovators thermometer. The incubator is a cheap no name brand from china..
The incubator displays a much higher reading than it actually is..I went off the thermometer last time and they hatch right on day 21 so I think the thermometer is accurate. Last time, the incubator would read 3 degrees higher than the thermometer. Now it's reading a whopping 14-15 degrees higher. The reviews on this incubator have lots of complaints that while it worked ok for the first use, the second go around, the temp had a hard time reaching 99 degrees. Seems to be the case with mine.

 

[Song girl 11]

So while the incubator has been displaying 99.5, the thermometer is displaying 85. But I think the thermometer is accurate. Hopefully I haven't confused you! Lol

 

[marchick]

So while the incubator has been displaying 99.5, the thermometer is displaying 85. But I think the thermometer is accurate. Hopefully I haven't confused you! Lol

I think the eggs should be ok. I don't think at 85 degrees the incubation would even start. Hopefully someone that knows more will chime in. They might hatch late from the first couple days having low temperature. Praying you have a awsome hatch. I find with Marans eggs having such thick shells. A lower humidity first 18 days I do about 30-35% then raise humidity to 60-70% for lockdown. I hope I was some help.

 

[chickengr]

Incubation help needed! I set some of my BCM's eggs and some ameraucana eggs 2 days ago. It's my second time using my incubator. The first hatch went well but the temperature ran a little lower than the incubator displayed.(I used a thermometer inside) So this time I set it higher, accordingly, but didn't use the thermometer inside, assuming it would do the same thing. After day two I put the thermometer in to make sure the temp was right(should've done to begin with!) and it read 85 degrees Fahrenheit! I adjusted it, now it's reading 99.5. Is it too late? Did I ruin my hatch? Should I wait it out or quit and start over with new eggs? I know I was too hasty and rushed the process, I'm super busy lately but I know I should've taken more time and been more careful

I don't think you ruined the eggs. even broodies might get up and stay away from the eggs for long during the first 2-3 days.

 

[Song girl 11]

I think the eggs should be ok. I don't think at 85% the incubation would even start. Hopefully someone that knows more will chime in. They might hatch late from the first couple days having low temperature. Praying you have a awsome hatch. I find with Marans eggs having such thick shells. A lower humidity first 18 days I do about 30-35% then raise humidity to 60-70% for lockdown. I hope I was some help.

Thank you!

 

[Song girl 11]

I don't think you ruined the eggs. even broodies might get up and stay away from the eggs for long during the first 2-3 days.

Thanks, this gives me hope!

 

[marchick]

Thank you!

Your welcome! I put 85% but ment to put 85 degrees. Sorry

 

[kcrandall]

Thanks for your reply. My first hatch I set 15 eggs and 6 hatched, all on day 21. Not the best hatch rate but they were shipped eggs and my first time incubating eggs, so I was still pleased. So do you think these eggs are a total loss? Should I continue to incubate or toss them and start over? I will take your advice next time and run the incubator for a couple of days before adding the eggs. I only have 1 BCM hen and I wanted to get at least 4 eggs from her into the incubator. She only lays every 2 to 3 days, so I was rushing to get her eggs in quickly as the oldest egg was 8 days old and I know fertility drops dramatically after a week. She had also just went ten days without laying before laying these 4 eggs, so I felt lucky to get them when I was wanting them to incubate.

@Song girl 11,

Since its only been 2 days I would leave the eggs in the incubator. Place another thermometer inside that you trust and get your temp up to 99.5-100 degrees with humidity of 30-35% for the 1st 18 days then for lockdown crank the humidity up to 65% and drop your temp to 98.5-99.5 degrees for hatch. You should be OK.

Good Luck,
Keith